Strong,Quasi-,and Weak Conformity among Japanese in the Modified Asch Procedure

Abstract

The present study was conducted to shed light on the cross-cultural discrepancies previously reported about Japanese conformity behavior in the Asch type situation. By virtue of the controlled group cohesiveness and the stringent definition of conformity, we were able to confirm the contextual effect of the general collectivity orientation facilitating conformity, whereas the reverse was believed to hold in the past. Moreover, the effect of group cohesiveness was found to vary depending on the schedule of information feedback and judgment revision. Our hypothesis about the effects of group cohesiveness and "amae" motive was supported when the chances for both social comparisons and reevaluation were deprived in the noncritical trials.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Asch, S. E. (1951). Effects of group pressure upon the modification and distortion of judgments. In H. Guetzknow (Ed.), Groups, leadership and men (pp. 177-190). Pittsburgh: Carnegie.

Asch, S. E. (1956). Studies of independence and conformity: I. A minority against unanimous majority. Psychological Monographs, 70 (9, Whole No. 48).

Benedict, R. (1967). The chrysanthemum and the sword: Patterns of Japanese culture. New York: New American Library.

Bishop, Y. M. , Fienberg, S. E. , & Holland, P. W. (1975) Discrete multivariate analysis: Theory and practice. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

Deutsch, G. , & Gerard, H. B. (1955). A study of normative and informational social influences upon individual judgment. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 51, 629-636.

Doi, T. (1973) The anatomy of dependence. (J. Bester, Trans.). Tokyo: Kodansha.

Festinger, L. (1954). A theory of social comparison processes. Human Relations 7, 117-140

Frager, R. (1970). Conformity and anticonformity in Japan. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 15 (3), 203-210.

Gerard, H. B. , & Conolley, E. S. (1972). Conformity. In C. G. McClintock (Ed.), Experimental social psychology (pp. 237-263). New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

10.

Goodman, L. A. (1969). How to ransack social mobility tables and other kinds of cross-classification tables. American Journal of Sociology, 75, 1-40.

11.

Inoue, T. (1977). The structure of "Sekentei." Tokyo: NHK.

12.

Kinoshita, T. (1964). The effects of groups cohesiveness and importance of the tasks upon conformity behavior, Japanese Journal of Psychology 35(4), 181-193.

13.

Latane, B. (1966). Studies in social comparison. Introduction and overview. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, (Suppi. 1), 1-15.

14.

Mann, L. (1980). Cross-cultural studies of small groups. In H. C. Triandis & R. W. Brislin (Eds.), Handbook of cross-cultural psychology (Vol. 5, pp. 155-210). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

15.

Ross, L. , Bierbrauer, G. , & Hoffman, S. (1976). The role of attribution processes in conformity and dissent: Revisiting the Asch situation. American Psychologist, 31, 148-157.

16.

Sako, S. (1975) An experimental approach to the cross-cultural study of conformity behavior. Unpublished graduation thesis, University of Osaka, Japan.

17.

Takata, T. (1974). A fundamental study on the theory of social comparison processes: I. Japanese Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 14, 132-138.

18.

Takata, T. , & Hayashi, H. (1981). Availability of objective information and social comparison behavior. Japanese Psychological Research, 23(2), 88-100.